By The Associated Press

Today in History

Today is Friday, June 14, the 165th day of 2019. There are 200 days left in the year. This is Flag Day.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On June 14, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a measure adding the phrase “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance.

On this date:

In 1775, the Continental Army, forerunner of the United States Army, was created.

In 1777, the Second Continental Congress approved the design of the original American flag.

In 1940, German troops entered Paris during World War II; the same day, the Nazis began transporting prisoners to the Auschwitz (OWSH’-vitz) concentration camp in German-occupied Poland.

In 1943, the U.S. Supreme Court, in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, ruled 6-3 that public school students could not be forced to salute the flag of the United States.

In 1968, Dr. Benjamin Spock and three other peace activists were convicted in Boston of conspiring to encourage young men to evade the draft during the Vietnam War. (The verdicts were later overturned by an appeals court.) The Iron Butterfly single “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” was released by Atco Records.

In 1982, Argentine forces surrendered to British troops on the disputed Falkland Islands.

In 1985, the 17-day hijack ordeal of TWA Flight 847 began as a pair of Lebanese Shiite (SHEE’-eyet) Muslim extremists seized the jetliner shortly after takeoff from Athens, Greece.

In 1986, death claimed Broadway librettist Alan Jay Lerner in New York at age 67; Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges in Geneva at age 86; and “Wild Kingdom” host Marlin Perkins in suburban St. Louis at age 81.

In 1990, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld, 6-3, police checkpoints that examined drivers for signs of intoxication.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1999, About 15,000 NATO peacekeepers spread out across Kosovo, including a convoy of about 1,200 U.S. Marines.

In 2017, a rifle-wielding gunman opened fire on Republican lawmakers at a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, wounding House Whip Steve Scalise (skuh-LEES’) and several others; the assailant died in a battle with police. Fire ripped through the 24-story Grenfell Tower in West London, killing 71 people.

Ten years ago: The Los Angeles Lakers won their 15th championship, beating the Orlando Magic 99-86 in Game 5 of the NBA finals. Anna Nordqvist shot a 4-under par 68 to become the second rookie in a row to win the LPGA Championship. Bob Bogle, 75, lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band The Ventures, died in Vancouver, Washington.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama forced union workers in Philadelphia’s commuter rail strike to return to the job, granting Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett’s request to create a presidential emergency board to mediate the contract dispute. Pro-Russia separatists shot down a Ukrainian transport plane, killing all 49 people on board. Afghans braved threats of violence and searing heat to vote in a presidential runoff (Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai was eventually declared the winner).